Many communities are seeing their vacant, and sometimes historic, school buildings brought back to life as housing. According to RentCafe, nearly 2,000 apartments were created from former school buildings in 2024—an all-time high. That share jumped to 7.9% of all new apartments from adaptive reuse, making it the fastest-growing segment of adaptive-reuse projects for 2024.
The trend continues in 2026, with several transformations recently completed or under construction providing affordable housing. Check out these five new developments that are giving former school buildings from Iowa to New Hampshire a second act.
Calvin Anderson Schoolhouse Apartments at St. Colman
The Allegheny County Housing Authority (ACHA) and its Affordable Housing Holdings venture completed the $11.7 million adaptive reuse of the former St. Colman school in Turtle Creek, a borough 12 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. The buildings, which were built in 1927 and 1956, are now providing affordable housing for youths aging out of foster care. The development is using the Scholar House model to support young parents as they attend post-secondary educational or vocational training and as they transition to employment. The building was named after Pittsburgh Steeler Calvin Anderson, who, with his wife, supported the development.
According to ACHA executive director Rich Stephenson, he saw an opportunity to expand the Scholar House approach to include those enrolled in certification programs and youths aging out of foster care as well as to enhance the support through a commitment of Housing Choice Vouchers.
“This is a powerful tool. Project-based Housing Choice Vouchers will subsidize rents for the families while they live at St. Colman,” he says. “When they are ready to move on, they will receive a portable Housing Choice Voucher that will allow them to continue to pay 30% of their income in the private rental housing market. Plus, they will be able to participate in the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Family Self Sufficiency Program, which means that a portion of their rent will go toward personal savings accounts to enable them to save for cars, ongoing education, and other family needs—including purchasing a home.”
Allegheny County was a big supporter of the development, with Community Development Block Grant funds. This was pivotal in securing other public and private funding, including pandemic relief funds from Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh’s Affordable Housing Program through TriState Capital Bank.
Earle Residences
Gorman & Co. has transformed the historic Charles Warrington Earle School in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood into 50 affordable and supportive housing units for households earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income (AMI). The building, which has been vacant since a wave of school closings in 2013, was originally constructed in 1897 and named after Dr. Charles Warrington, a prominent local physician, Civil War veteran, and medical college president. The $33.5 million redevelopment is a testament to the neighborhood’s revitalization efforts, preserving the historic significance of the building while creating a new purpose.
The rehabilitation preserved historic features while creating new residential and community spaces. Amenities include gathering and gardening spaces, a computer lab, bicycle storage, an exercise room, a performance space, and areas for supportive services and private telehealth appointments. Services for the permanent supportive housing units is provided by Phoenix Foundation.
Earle Residences is financed and supported by the city of Chicago, Alderman Raymond Lopez, Chicago Department of Housing, Illinois Housing Development Authority; Beehyyve, ComEd, E.G. Woode, R.A.G.E., Burling Builders, Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, Merchants Bank of Indiana, Merchants Capital, Greater Illinois Title Company, Phoenix Foundation, Gorman Architecture, and Gorman Property Management.
“Transforming Earle Residences into affordable housing gave us an opportunity to preserve an important piece of Englewood’s history while creating homes that will serve the community for years,” says Sherri Allen-Reeves, executive director of Phoenix Foundation.
Elmer Gardens
Better Community Neighborhoods and Home Leasing have preserved the long-vacant Elmer Avenue Elementary School in Schenectady, New York. The original building was constructed in 1905 and expanded in 1968 with a modern wing before being shuttered in 2018. The $23 million development now provides 51 units of affordable and supportive housing for seniors 55 and older earning up to 60% of the AMI. In addition, 26 apartments are linked with on-site services for residents exiting homelessness. The apartments were created within the existing classroom spaces, and the original auditorium was retained to serve as a community room.
“No longer a vacant, decaying eyesore, the completion of Elmer Gardens has brought new life back to this corner of the neighborhood,” say Better Community Neighborhoods CEO Matthew Nelson and Home Leasing chief operating office Sarah Struzzi. “To drive by Elmer Gardens today is to witness its rebirth, with residents and their guests spending time gathered around the playground and garden patio or chatting casually in small groups in the lobby or on the large staircases that grace the Elmer and Eastern Avenue sides of the building. Light now fills the windows in the evening, while laughter and conversation once again fill the halls of this once vibrant school building.”
Financing includes federal and state low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs) from New York State Homes and Community Renewal and federal and state historic rehab tax credits from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority providing funding through its New Construction Housing Program, and Community Preservation Corp. providing a permanent loan. In addition, the development received support from the city of Schenectady and Schenectady County. Rental and operating subsidies for the supportive housing units are provided by an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative award administered by the New York State Department of Health.
Jefferson School Lofts
North Arrow Development, in partnership with WNC & Associates, is bringing affordable housing to seniors 55 and older in Oskaloosa, Iowa. The $12.9 million Jefferson School Lofts includes the adaptive reuse of a former school building that opened in 1914 as well as new construction to create 42 units of affordable housing for older households earning up to 40% and 60% of the AMI. Construction is expected to be completed in December.
Jefferson School Lofts is being financed through a combination of funding sources, including LIHTC equity from WNC and construction and long-term permanent loans from Bankers Trust. Iowa Finance Authority, the city of Oskaloosa, and George Daily Trust also contributed financing.
“Jefferson School Lofts represents an important investment in Oskaloosa, where the demand for senior housing continues to grow,” says Anil Advani, executive vice president of originations and finance at WNC. “This development allows older adults to remain connected to the community they know, while providing modern, affordable homes designed to support long-term stability and independence.”
Roosevelt East
Keene Housing and nonprofit affiliate Monadnock Affordable Housing Corp. (MAHC) have breathed new life into the Roosevelt School in Keene, New Hampshire. The approximately $12 million Roosevelt East provides 30 apartments for individuals and families across a wide range of lower incomes, with all the units having project-based vouchers provided through HUD’s Restore-Rebuild program. The redevelopment of the over 100-year-old school also marks the first new deeply affordable housing in Keene in more than a decade. In addition to the adaptive reuse, the former gymnasium was demolished and replaced with a new residential addition.
“It shows how adaptive reuse, historic preservation, and deeply affordable housing can work together,” says Amy Wright, director of administration at Keene Housing. “We were able to breathe new life into a century-old neighborhood landmark rather than demolishing it, while also adding new construction to make the overall development work. The project also brought a property that had never paid real estate taxes onto the city’s tax roles for the first time.”
The project required a multi-layered financing structure that included 9% LIHTCs; New Hampshire Housing resources; Community Development Block Grant funding through the city of Keene and the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority; InvestNH funding; Congressionally directed spending secured with the support of Rep. Annie Kuster; Northern Border Regional Commission funding; TD Bank; Evernorth; and substantial resources from KeeneHousing through MAHC. Additional partners include Cheshire Builders and Warrenstreet Architects.
The second phase, Roosevelt West, will add another 30 affordable apartments to the site through new construction. It is expected to be completed in summer 2027.
“When Roosevelt West is complete, we will have transformed a largely vacant former institutional property into 60 permanently affordable homes while preserving the historic Roosevelt School as the centerpiece of the site,” Wright adds.